Captured
by ARandomPersonWhoLikesToWrite
Summary: Deedlit and Leif live in the forest happily, until slavers come along and capture the pair, along with the rest of the village. They are taken to Free Knight Parn who buys them with reluctance. R&R This summery sux but read anyways!
1. Chapter 1

**Captured**

**Chapter One**

"Your much too impatient Leif. The power must gather a little in your hands before you realize it." Laughed High Elf Deedlit. She was training her young apprentice in the cover of the woods, looking at nature and pulling their own power from it. "Take a deep breath."

Leif frowned and breathed in deep.

"Your still much too tense. They will only come if you are calm and peaceful." As if to prove her point Deed splayed her hands and a gust of wind blew right by blowing her long blond hair, and teasing them around her pointed ears. "You must be calm or the sprites won't come."

Her apprentice narrowed her eyes. "I'm trying Deed, but I simply can't do it. You know I'm not the best at magic like the others. Why did you choose me, I'm no good."

Deed put her hand on her pupil's head. "I chose you because your strong willed, and you don't give up. Although you've proven me wrong just today. Just give it a try...no wait...lets try this. Think about something that calms you, it can be something your mother sang to you as a young child, or it can simply be a good memory. Linger on it."

Leif did just that. Her shoulders relaxed and Deed grinned.

"Good. Now, what I want you to do is will the wind sprites to come."

Leif thought hard, she felt little feet brush up against her out spread palm. Suddenly she threw out her hands and opened her eyes and saw that the canopy of a tree overhead bristle with the new breeze. "I did it Deed!!!" She threw her arms around her master and smiled. "I really did it. I made the wind blow."

She twirled about her tunic rising a bit. She fell to the ground her back landing upon the soft green moss. "Do you do the same thing to move water, or earth?"

Deed nodded. "Thats the way. See your getting better already." She joined Leif on the moss and put her hands under her head. "Soon you will be stronger than even I."

The girl propped herself up on her arms. "Your kidding right? I mean your the strongest one in our Village." She began picking at the moss and flinched when she saw a fairy come out of the greenery. "I'm still not used to seeing those things pop out everywhere. My magic abilities only started."

"Believe it or not, you are a lot stronger than I was when I was your age." She grinned when Leif gave her a surprised look. "I was chosen by Master Needen to be his apprentice. My parents were shocked because I showed the least bit of strength in the entire village but after some time the old grumpy elf actually made me stronger. As I will teach you."

White fluffy clouds floated over head and the two remained there enjoying the solemn quietness of the forest. Finally after a moment Leif spoke up. "Do you really think I will be a good High Elf? Because so far I haven't been doing so well."

"Only one week Leif. Its only been one week and your already judging yourself." Deed grinned. "Don't be so hard on yourself. In due time you will get stronger, and we will get off the basics. Why I learned about the sprites when I was twice your age. Believe me the basics last for a good long time." She held up her palm and watched as a fairy pranced about on her palm. The tiny creature's head turned suddenly and Deedlit looked up. "Somethings happening."

"What do you mean?" Leif asked standing up. She brushed moss off her leggings and boots and watched as Deed rose out of the bed of moss becoming more alert by the second. "Whats happening?"

"Come on!!" Deedlit started running off into the forest, she ran faster than Leif had ever seen her and Leif struggled to keep up with her teacher. They dodged trees and went this way and that. Deedlit did not slow down in the least keeping the lead her hand remaining slightly on the hilt of her sword as if expecting trouble to leap out of a bush and attack then and there. It frightened Leif. She had never quite seen her teacher act so frantic before. Always Deed had a cool head.

They burst into their village in time to see some of the homes on fire. Elves ran in all directions avoiding the attacking men.

Deed grinded her teeth. "Slavers."

"What?" Leif watched frightened as an elder was struck down by one of the men's swords. "What are _Slavers_."

"Bad news." Deed told her apprentice. "Now stay hidden in the trees. You're too young to do battle." Deed raced off down the hill and drew her sword out of the hilt. She struck one of the men in the neck and a burst of blood sprayed from his half cut off head. Deed continued to ravage the troops and Leif watched amazed.

She hadn't known that Deed could do that. She had only seen Deedlit's beautiful face framed by calmness, and fairy light.

"Well what do we have here?" A voice came from behind her.

Deed raced through the village after a second and did a double take when she saw that everyone had been gathered and no one left

Leif spun around and found a human standing over her.

"Your a pretty little elf. Probably will catch more than a few thousand."

"Duck Leif."

Leif instinctively ducked down and Deed's sword flew above her head landing right in the heart of the man. He slumped over and Leif's gaze turned to her Master's arm. "Your arm's bleeding." It had a jagged cut that was dangerously deep, and her once forest green attire was now crimson and stank of blood.

"Let one of the scum bags get a slice of me. Come Leif. They have gathered the village already, if we stay we will be taken too, like lambs to slaughter." Deed and Leif took off into the trees. Deed held her sword in her right hand the blade was poised and ready if anything happened.

"Whats going on? What are slavers?" Leif asked

"They're men who steal elves from villages and force them to work. Basically you become a slave which means you become someones property." Deed told her pupil without bothering to stop running. "Its really bad to be taken by them. Some elves don't even live that long while living with the humans."

Leif was confused. "I thought you said humans were kind creatures, and that we could trust them."

"They are. Its just like with our village compared to dark elves. Think about it, are all elves evil creatures?"

"No. Just the dark elves."

"Its the same way, there are good people and bad people."

The small elf nodded and picked up the speed, noticing that her teacher was slightly faltering. Finally her legs buckled and she fell to her knees clutching her arm. She swayed a bit and swatted at the air pushing Leif forward. "Keep going."

Leif stopped. "No! I'm not leaving you!" She screeched when Deed threw a hand out and shoved Leif's head down. An arrow whizzed above her head missing it by inches. She picked her head back up in time to see men crashing through the trees.

"Hold your arrows. We can't sell something thats dead, besides the taller one has had too much blood loss to fight." The obvious leader stated making his way through the brush.

"What about the smaller one."

"But an infant." He grinned showing yellow stained teeth. "She couldn't hurt anything, her powers most likely have just popped up."

He came up towards them and lifted up Deed's drooped down head. "High elf, this one will rack a lot of money. She's a beauty and the strongest one that I've collected."

"How did you know she's a high elf?" Leif asked pushing his hand away. She flinched as his beady eyes raked across her undeveloped body.

"I've collected for a long time. Every time we kill the High elf and its apprentice because they fight too hard. Luckily we only wounded her this time. The reason I knew is because of the band you and your master wear across your forehead. Its the official symbol in any village." His men came forward, one even an elf. The elf picked up Deed and clicked his tongue inspecting the wounds.

"Very deep. Could kill her. You must place her in the back cart separate from the rest." The elf told the man. The man looked into his scarred partners face and nodded. He jerked his head toward Leif as well then walked off through the trees. "He means for you to come with me as well. You two together will fetch a generous price."

Leif glared at the elf. "Why do you help them?"

"They promised that they will leave my village alone if a strong elven man helped attack other villages. My family is there in the village so I had to offer." He nodded sadly. "I am sorry." He started walking through the trees and Leif followed at his heels.

"Where are we going?" Leif asked.

The elf grunted. "Our destination will only be four hours away. But you wont be sold on the block with the rest. The Master has plans of his own for you two."

_**RECORDOFLODOSSWARRECORDOFLODOSSWARRECORDOFLODOSSWAR**_

Parn frowned. "Ok, ok, practice is over." He bent down his armor weighing him down. Resting his hands on his knees he looked up at his young partner. "I swear you have a lot more energy than I have." He watched amused as Spark danced around.

"What it's over already?" Spark frowned breathing heavily. He sheathed his sword and looked at Pan. "And your supposed to be he hero from the last war." He chuckled and plopped down on the ground of the tent. He watched as Parn walked wearily over to his desk and sat down flipping through tactic papers.

"Free Knight Parn!" Came a cry.

"You can't come this way sir."

"But I must speak to the Free Knight Parn."

Parn sighed. "Tell the men they can let the man through."

Spark looked up surprised. "But you don't know who the man is. It could be the enemy."

"I know him by his voice but he is no villain. Let him through."

Spark stuck his head out the tent flap. "You can let the man through." The men grudgingly let the man go. He was bald and wore two stubby short swords at his waist. He motioned for the wagon to come forward and the horses struggled to push it forward.

The man himself presented himself alone in the tent. "Lord Parn, do I have an offer for you." He grinned and flourished his hands.

"Didn't I tell you Adolt that I was not interested in owning a slave." Parn said calmly. "And yet you persist that I need a lovely bed mate, and the extra slaves for the force. I'm not interested."

"Well what I have with me can actually be useful. Not only for bed, but tactical wise for your little war against Marmo."

Parn looked up. "What is it?"

The man's watery eyes widened, and he gave a nasty yellow tooth grin. He rushed to the tent flap and disapeared through it and returned with a large elf carrying something limp, and dragging something behind with a small rope. In his arm he held a beautiful young elf, her long blond hair scraped the ground and her cloths were crimson with blood, obviously her own. Following on the trail of rope around her waist, came a younger elf but not quite as formed, she had crimson on herself but probably from the elder elf.

"I show you a high elf. Just taken hours ago from her village. Obviously she is fully trained, and she has taken on a young, new apprentice." He waved his hand over the two girls. "Not only is she strong and powerful she also has great beauty, nice good bed mate if thats what you desire."

Parn actually looked over, his eyes caught on the elf. His mind seemed to be turning the facts in his head, probably thinking that a high elf would help. "Very rare catch. Don't you usually kill the high elves during the short resistance?"

Adolt grinned. "That is true."

"The woman's condition troubles me. That is quite a lot of blood staining her cloths and even her own apprentice, and the only healing it seems you did was tie a dirty rag about the wound." Parn said standing up and placing his hands on the makeshift desk.

"Well Lord Parn, surely you have a healer. She could become healed by your own grace." The man's grin grew wider. He knew he had snagged Parn in a trap. Either he could send Adolt away and let the high elf die, or pay the amount.

The smaller elf struggled a little and finally lifted her eyes a fraction from the ground.

Parn gave a grunt. "How much?"

"Thirty gold pieces." Adolt said with a grin that went all the way across his face.

Grumbling Parn reached underneath his desk and dragged out a purse. He counted out thirty pieces and dumped them in a bag that Adolt had produced quite quickly from under his shirt.

The slaver bared his yellow teeth, bouncing the pouch in his hands, he grinned, if possible, even wider when he heard the gold jingle about in his purse. "Where would you like her." No one in the tent may like him but he was thirty gold pieces richer. And boy did he know what he was going to use that gold for.

Parn came forward and held out his arms. The big elf set the high elf gently in his arms, in a ceremonious fashion, and turned to follow his master out the tent. He dropped his grip on the length of rope and was gone with only the tent flap moving as proof they were ever really there. All three stood silently listening to the wheels of the wagon drive off.

"Damn Adolt knows me too well." Parn said gritting his teeth. He set the high elf on the small cot in the corner. He took the rag off from around the elf's wound and grimaced. He turned to Spark, who had remained silent this whole while. "Go get Etoh. Tell him that I need him now, and theres no time."

Spark nodded and after a glance at the elf, and was gone.

Parn dragged over a bucket of water, that had been placed not too far away from his desk. A damp, clean rag (possibly for his own wash) sat on the edge of the bucket, and he dipped it into the bucket, and wrung out the cloth before wiping it along her arms, cleaning the blood off from around her wound. He used careful, gentle movements, and Leif only observed as he dipped the rag back in and left it in the water. He stood up and pulled off his armor and set it down. He made his way over to Leif, who immediately grew fearful as he drew out a knife from his belt.

The knife was inches away from her stomach, and then all she felt was the rope around her waist fall.

"Sorry if I scared you, but I didn't think you would like to have that rope about you any longer. He put the knife away and bent back down at the cot, much more comfortably without the armor. He drew the rag out of the water again and started washing the high elf. "So do you two have names, or did Adolt have to give you some?"

"Wh- What?" Leif sputtered.

"Oh good! I was afraid you couldn't speak." Parn turned and smiled kindly at her. "I asked what your names are."

"Leif..." She finally stated after a long while of thinking.

He looked back down. "What a lovely name. And what of you friends?"

"What?"

"Your friends name."

Leif kicked at the ground awkwardly. "Oh...Deedlit."

"Lovely. Deedlit." He dragged her name out longer than most would, and when he uttered it, it sounded more like a purr. "Two lovely elves with two lovely names. What a lucky man am I."

She strayed a little closer. "Is she ok?"

Parn looked over, and Leif examined his eyes. They were kind. They were both of the deepest brown, and if you looked into them you felt as if you could tell this person anything, and he wouldn't utter a word or betray your trust. "Is she ok?" Leif repeated with a gulp.

"She'll be fine once Etoh comes." Parn said. He glanced at the flap impatiently. "If he ever does come."

"Who...who are you?" Leif asked. She brushed a strand of hair from her face and sat down on the ground next to Parn using the water to wipe off some blood that had gotten on herself. "And why are you being so kind?"

He grinned. "I'm the rare kind of human that actually is good."

"If you call rushing a priest around." Came a voice outside. The tent flap moved a little and a chubby face came in the way. Dark hair brushed downward into his eyes, and the man wore white priestly robes. The second man at his side wore brown robes, and carried a twisted staff. Leif could feel strong magic within both of them.

"I have an injured elf in here." Parn said. "Only your magic can heal her. Slayn, you don't have to help if you don't want to."

Slayn nodded, and both went over to the cot and looked down at the elf. "You actually bought two slaves!"

"It was either have the one perish, or pay the price." Parn shrugged rising to his feet. "I'll show Lief here a bathing place, and get her a change of cloths, as well as a pair for the elder."

The two nodded and Parn placed a hand on Leif's shoulder. "She'll be fine here, why don't we get you cleaned up and into some clean cloths."

She nodded reluctantly and allowed herself to be lead outside.

**(A/N: Ok, what do you think. If this should not continue say the word and it wont!!!)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Captured**

**Chapter two**

A sound of rustling cloth, the gentle murmur of crickets, and the smell of brown dead earth was what she woke up to. She opened her eyes up slowly fully realizing that she was not in the forest she grew up in. After a tentative moment she gave her surroundings a careful look.

She was in a darkened tent, cold dusty ground below the cot that she laid in. A plank of wood was laid upon two high chairs, making some form of a desk. The only light that was inside the tent came from a lantern somewhere in the corner, as if to shed a small amount of light, so as not to trip and fall. And there was a small bucket of water sitting right beside her. Slanted across a chair a man sat. He wore a deep brown tunic, and his arms were crossed against his chest.

Deed pushed herself slightly up and looked around. Her arm throbbed but she still finally made it in a sitting position. She looked down beside her cot and found Leif snuggled against the dead ground, she was dressed in a big tunic, two sizes too big, and her hair was still damp, signs of a washing. She was so focused on her pupal she didn't notice the man beside her stirring.

"So your awake." The man said, causing Deed to jump a bit in surprise. "Etoh said that you would be fine but he was unsure of when you would regain consciousness." He was sitting bent down with his arms resting on his knees. Armor sat not tot far away from the chair he sat in.

A light breeze brushed the tents flap around.

Deedlit looked at him as if peering into his very soul. "Who are you?"

"Names Parn." He extended his hand, but when Deedlit simply stared at it he drew it back. "Your student told me your name. She seemed quite sure that you were going to wake up and slash me with your sword. So I had to take your weapons away from you. A precaution."

She felt her hand fist up. "Bastard." She muttered and looked away.

Parn frowned. He bent forward and leaned his elbows against his knees. "I'll have you know I saved your life."

"And in the while you have something interesting to screw around with." She looked down at Leif again.

Parn's frown widened. "I'll have you know that if I didn't buy you then you would have died. Adolt would have seen to it that you would have. Thats how he forced me to buy you. And don't sneer like that, I hate slavery as much as you do. The elves have been a great help to the humans in the past, and we repay them by sticking chains on their wrist and forcing them to work for us. So don't look at me in that way. I will not have you compare me to the rest of my kind."

Her expression softened. "Sorry, its just...everyone, and..." She trailed off. "They killed everyone...and Leif wouldn't keep running."

"She's very devoted to you." Parn said, his own expression softened. "All the while she wouldn't leave your side, well only once to wash up, but while Etoh and Slayn were patching you up she wouldn't leave them alone. Kept threatening to raise hell if you died."

"There was enough blood that I could have. Far too much blood loss for a mortal healer to fix." Deed handled the bandage delicately.

"Lucky for me I've convinced a priest to travel around with me."

She shifted in the bed. "Either the priest is evil, or your actually good. Though it is quite hard to tell. Humans don't read the same way elves do, their minds are to complected, they always seem to have too much on their mind."

Parn sat back in the chair. "Funny, your pupal said that you were quite tolerant of humans."

"Did she say how out elder was stabbed. The man was two thousand years old, he couldn't defend himself if he tried, and they still killed him. Of course I would have a negative view. What am I supposed to do? Love them?" Deed muttered.

"No but surely you shouldn't be a hypocrite." Parn leaned forward. His face closer than she wanted to hers. "She told me that you told her that there are two kinds of humans, such as there are two kinds of elves. Course, you seem to be thinking the opposite way after the slaughter and sell of your village, but I would rather enjoy to see the level headed teacher that has taught your pupal to love so much."

He stood up. "I wont bother you any further. If you need anything wake me up, but I'm falling asleep. Can't stay up all night. Thats simply crazy if I'm expected to lead my army against Marmo."

She watched him walk across the room and settle down on a blanket in the corner. Even in a sleeping position he gave the look of confidence. Deed glanced down one more time at her pupal, then sleepily fell asleep on the warm cot.

**RECORDOFLODOSSWARRECORD OF LODOSS WARRECORDOFLODOSSWAR**

Parn yawned and stretched. He felt his muscles stiff from sleep, loosen a little as he spread his hands forward and stretched almost like one of those ridiculous house cats would. Getting to his feet he caught himself from falling, and leaned up against the makeshift desk. "Good morning Spark." He murmured with a grin. The shadow behind him leapt up in surprise at being called by name.

"How did you know?" Spark whined.

"I taught you how to sneak up on someone like that. Did you think I would fall for my own tricks?" Parn grinned, and when he finally got his balance stood up tall and glanced around the tent.

Well the elf hadn't run off. She was still sleeping, this time a little bit more relaxed than he had seen her last night. Maybe it was a good sign. He closed his eyes recalling her faced darkened by shadow, but still luminous somehow.

Spark's eyes turned in the direction of the elves as well. "Is she still asleep?"

Walking over to the pair of elves he grinned. "The other woke up last night, she was quite bitter. A bit opposite of how Leif here described her to be, but I suppose we can get her to soften up a bit. She seems more than a little peeved about the killing of her village." He yawned again, and covered his mouth quickly. "I understand her feelings though. Same thing almost happened to my own town, except humans didn't attack it."

Spark bent down and examined the curvy elf. "She's quite a beauty." He grinned, "I wouldn't be surprised if you fall for her."

Parn rolled his eyes. "I've told you plenty of times I don't need companionship. My mind's to busy with plans of war and different tactics. Besides I haven't met a woman who wasn't selfish."

His student looked up. "But she's an elf, not a human."

"Spark, keep your sticky little nose out of my business. If I find a companion it will be because I chose her...not because of some pesky little boy who should be bathing." Parn set himself down in the chair behind the 'regal' desk.

Spark grinned and shrugged. His head turned at the sound of a groan, and he watched as Leif, the younger elf, stretched like a cat and positioned herself daintily on the ground. Feeling, for the millionth time, the dirt that she sat on.

"Why do you do that?" Spark asked, causing the young elf to jump in surprise.

She composed herself before talking again. "Your earth is dead...nothing can grow here and it is strange. My home had grass and flowers and fairies."

Parn glanced up. "Fairies?" He had only seen them once, or supposed he had seen them, coming from at tree right next to the home he grew up in. Course after he mentioned them he was immediately told that fairies didn't exist.

The elf smiled drawing on memories. "Yeah, Fairies live in all living things. Like the trees, and the dirt, and the grass that flows with the wind in perfect tune. Your dirt, ground, isn't alive, all fairies are gone, all that is left is the dust." She drew it up and the two saw a faint sparkle sprinkle to the ground.

Slayn entered the tent. "How is the elf?"

"Good morning to you to friend, too." Parn looked up at the tall, blond man, draped in white robes. "And the elf is fine, she woke up in the middle of the night and gave me a difficult time about me buying her."

The big man chuckled. "As she should. I would be mad at you if you bought me off a slaver, even if you were my friend."

Leif's head lifted. "She woke up?" Her gaze drifted the the slumbering elf on the cot.

The mercenary nodded. "She was vexed that you didn't run when you had the chance."

The elf nodded. "I didn't want to leave her. She's my teacher, my only family...my family was killed by an ogre. The archers in our village were injured and my mother, the head healer, ran to help them. They struck her down, and dad ran and attacked the ogre too...but he..." She choked on the last word. "Then Deed took me in as her apprentice."

Slayn nodded. "Yes, ogres are particularly nasty creatures. The little war between them and the elves has been occurring since the beginning of time. Clever and nimble elves, against strong ogre."

"And I don't like them." Leif muttered crossing her arms. "They're big and ugly, and smell from a mile away. When they fight they make a lot of noise and stop around give away their location, and its easy to hit them with arrows..."

Slayn grinned. He bent down and patted the girls head. "Well, nobody likes them except for themselves. So your not alone." He stood up again and addressed Parn. "Etoh just recently freshened up his protection spell over the camp. He wishes to know when the army will start to move again."

"Tell him by tommarro we'll be ready to move. We will see how long they can go then stop again. We have to make tracks, not literally of course. The Marmo have been on our tails recently." Parn stood up and walked around his desk. "Tell Etoh to rest. That protection spell can drain quite a bit."

The tall man nodded and threw a mocking salute before ducking out of the tent. "Will do."

The elf on the cot stirred, but didn't wake. Leif turned around and smiled feeling better about things generally. "When will she wake up?"

Spark looked at the girl and grinned. "It will take a while for the elf to wake up. She's lost quite a bit of blood and even with Etoh's magic she will remain weak for a little while. You can't expect a full recovery, especially after what she's been through."

The elf frowned and stuck her hands on her undeveloped hips. "She's not THE elf! Her name is Deedlit. It is disrespectful to call a high elf, 'THE' elf." Her finger stabbed into Spark's face. "Being a high elf is a big responsibility and because of that we respect them far more than our own leader of the village. When a village even has a high elf its an honor. Some villages don't have an elf with that much magic. So, DEEDLIT will wake up in time."

"Ok! Ok! Sorry!" Spark backed away. "I'll go take that bath now."

Parn chuckled. "Glad you changed your mind." Parn began to busy himself in the paper work on his desk. They contained maps and charts, and written letters from his spies.

As Spark left Leif wandered over and glanced at the charts. "Thats where the Marmo is." She shivered. Even elves had heard of the Marmo army. It was lead by a man with a dark heart, and a great hatred for the forest. He even attacked some elf villages.

"Well where he was just recently. He'll be moving, but at the size of his army he won't get too far." He looked up. "Thats right, even the elves have heard of him."

Leif nodded. She felt a breeze run through and it ruffled her hair around. "Why do you have charts of flat land. Wouldn't tree's and hills help you fight better?" The little elf asked.

"Yes they would help to hide behinds something, but we would get lost. Forest are treacherous places, where men have gotten lost, and eaten by things. In fact..." he pointed and a dark shading in the map. "That is a forest right there. If we could cut through that it would drastically cut our time, and we would get days ahead of the Marmo, and be ready to plan something by the time they arrive."

A quiet voice came from the cot. "Forest are only dangerous when men such as yourself and your army, run amok through them chopping down trees without praying to them first, using up the resorses. The forest wouldn't quite mind if you didn't disrespect is so. Thats why they permit elves, and other magic creatures to live there. They don't destroy trees, and contaminate rivers."

Lief spun around. "Deedlit!" She ran and wrapped her arms around her teachers neck. "I thought you were going to dye when we were in the cart. There was soo much blood, and I didn't know what to do. And I forgot the healing spell you taught me!"

Deedlit laughed warmly, making something within Parn feel warm. "I'm fine. Just a little weak is all." She patted her students back. "Why don't you help me stand."

"But you'll tire yourself out."

"I'm stiff and I know my limits, if I start to feel light headed I'll sit right back down on the cot, ok."

Leif looked at her and then helped her teacher up. Finally after a short while of stretching taunt muscles Deedlit was up and walking around.

She glanced down at her blood spread tunic. Her slender bare feet squished through the dirt. "Your ground is dead."

"Thats what I told them!" Leif said proudly.

Deed smiled. "See, the ability to see the fairies isn't hard, you just have to get used to them popping around everywhere."

Parn stood up. "What about the forest."

The elf looked up surprised. "What do you mean?" 

"You said that if we respected the forest and prayed, and respected it, it would allow us through."

Deed nodded watching the man warily. "But an army your size couldn't make it through without losing at least a few men."

"I hate to say this, but its a risk worth taking. The Marmo are right at our tails and we'll lose more than a few lives if they catch up to us. We would start marching now, but I exhausted them two days ago, and pushed them to their limits. So we stayed a little longer than planned. But going through the forest would cut down our time considerably. If you would mind praying and protecting both us and the trees." Parn said.

**RECORDOFLODOSSWARRECORDOFLODOSSWARRECORDOFLODOSSWAR**

The men looked warily at the trees standing before them. Deedlit walked forward wind toying with her long blond hair, and the grass beneath their feet bowing against the wind.

"Oh mighty forest." Deed said. "I stand here with an army of men, not to attack and hurt you but to walk through to the other side. This army is against the Marmo, and if the Marmo catch up then the man will burn you down, for he hates the deep magic of the forest, and how it is powerful to make men tremble." She raised her hands a little. "Forest, I know men have caused bad, and hurt to all magical creatures and yourselves, but please allow these men to come through."

The trees shook.

Leif gasped, and Parn looked down. "The trees said no they're angry that an elf...no a high elf is requesting this. They also said...oh! I didn't know that trees knew those kinds of words!"

"Would you rather these men die, and lose the only chance you have of living?" Deedlit demanded her voice a little less gentle. The trees rustled again, but before Leif could translate Deed kept talking. "Listen, yes humans destroyed my village, but its one of those choose your poisons. Either let an army through without harm or little harm, and live. Or don't let them through and perish yourselves." Deed sighed. "Yes I know your strong, but an entire army of evil men. Not to mention dark magic creatures. The Marmo has dark elves on his side." The trees stopped moving, and Deed bowed deeply before turning back.

"Ok...they'll let you through, but there are some rules." Deed muttered. She placed a hand to her head and swayed slightly. "One, you cannot light any fires. None what so ever."

Some of the men started to complain but she gave them a sharp look.

"Two, there is to be no tree chopping." Deedlit turned and looked at the trees again. "Three, we are only allowed to spend one night in the forest, if we are extended to two the forest may do what it wishes. Meaning move fast, but watch what you step on."

"I can't believe we're taking orders from an elf and some trees." One man muttered.

Deed spun her head around and glared angrily at the man. "I have excellent hearing for those of you who don't know me. And if you don't want to take orders from an elf or the forest then fine, those of you can start walking on the road, and pray that the Marmo don't catch up."

Silence erupted from the army. Parn spun his horse around. "The High Elf Deedlit has agreed to help us, don't disrespect her."

"But you bought her didn't you. You own the elf so you can control the thing." Another voice spoke up. A couple of men mumbled in agreement.

Parn's eyes blazed. "Who said that?!" The entire unit quieted. "If you have forgotten, we fought a war a century ago, and do you know who helped man win that battle. The elves. We promised that the forest would be theirs afterwards and that we would not interfere with their lives and they would not interfere with ours. We signed a treaty. We became allies. And now we repay their kindness by enslaving them. It is not right. If you think it is then why not have someone slaughter your home town and take you from your home. How about chains, how would you like to walk in a single file line with chains. Funny thing is that would have been my fate if my town hadn't had enough strong men. The ogres would have enslaved us. Respect, men, is something that you give to earn."

He nodded at Deedlit. "Continue."

"Rule four, No peeing on the trees like wild animals, it is both disgusting and disrespectful. And finally, no killing of the animals." The trees bent as if nodding in agreement. "The forest protects these animals from humans from entering. So keep them safe, don't kill."

"What about food?" One man spoke up.

Deed turned to the forest. It shivered as it thought.

She turned around again. "Only what we need to survive. Nothing more, nothing less. No killing for sport, and don't make them suffer more than they have too. That is all the forest requests, can you uphold these. If you don't then there will be a great punishement."

There was a murmor of agreement throughout the group.

"Very well." She stalked forward and glanced back. "Follow me."

Parn's army followed her into the dark forest.


End file.
